From Wild-Growing Plants to Promising Candidates for Hemp Variety Development: Morphological and Phytochemical Characterization of Macedonian Cannabis sativa L.

Stoilkovska Gjorgievska V.; Cvetkovikj Karanfilova I.; Geskovski N.; Trajkovska Matevska A.; Davkova Stojanovski I.; Todorov F.; Karapandzova M.; Stefkov G. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026

**Background & Methods** This study characterized wild-growing Cannabis sativa L. plants from North Macedonia by comparing five wild-origin plant groups (from Kočani and Strumica regions) with four commercial cultivars and European hemp varieties. Morphological traits were assessed using standardized UPOV descriptors with multivariate analysis (PCA), while cannabinoid profiles were determined by HPLC-DAD. **Key Findings** • **Morphological Differentiation**: UPOV-based principal component analysis clearly differentiated wild-origin Macedonian plants from commercial cultivars (R²X = 0.92, Q² = 0.86), with phenotypic affinity to the registered Kompolti hemp variety, suggesting potential relevance as a reference for DUS (distinctness, uniformity, stability) evaluation. • **Favorable Agronomic Characteristics**: The W1 group from the Kočani region demonstrated the highest proportion of female plants (10:1 ratio), representing an advantageous trait for flower-oriented hemp production. • **Cannabinoid Profile**: All wild-origin plants exhibited CBD-predominant chemotype III classification, with total CBD ranging from 5.14-7.61% and total Δ9-THC not exceeding 0.20%, positioning them within the higher-CBD range of selected European hemp cultivars while maintaining compliant, low-THC profiles suitable for legal hemp production. **Dosage & Administration** Not reported. **Safety & Adverse Effects** Not reported. **Evidence Quality** This study is limited by its descriptive, observational design without randomization or control groups beyond commercial cultivar comparisons. The sample size is relatively small (five wild-origin groups), and findings are specific to Macedonian geographic regions, potentially limiting generalizability to other European hemp populations. The research represents preliminary characterization data rather than clinical or toxicological evaluation. As a laboratory-based morphological and phytochemical analysis, it provides low-to-moderate evidence for hemp variety development potential but lacks mechanistic or clinical validation. The standardized UPOV methodology strengthens the morphological assessment, though the study would benefit from larger sample sizes, multi-year cultivation data, and agronomic performance evaluation under controlled conditions before registration-oriented hemp breeding recommendations can be definitively established.

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